Chapter 143
Jin Youliang couldn’t understand.
What was wrong with Cheng Tingyan today? According to the plan, the treasure chest with the bunny plush inside would disappear in less than a minute, why wasn’t she hurrying to find it, instead, she was pestering the staff member with questions!
Didn’t she say she loved bunnies the most?
But thankfully, he had a backup plan… Jin Youliang looked at the short, chubby figure holding hands with Cheng Tingyan on the monitoring screen, his eyes narrowed. The treasure chests tailored for them, one of them would surely attract them, right?
As Jin Youliang stared at the screen, his ears perked up, his heart burning with anxiety, he had to endure Zeng Huanian’s endless chatter on the video call.
Just as Jin Youliang’s patience was about to reach its limit, Zeng Huanian finally hung up the phone call he had been on for a while.
“Is Director Shi okay?” Jin Youliang asked, feigning concern, forcing himself to focus.
“He’s okay…” Zeng Huanian said, rubbing his face in frustration, he was squatting outside the air-raid shelter. “Earlier, when we didn’t have a laser tag location, I should have asked Director Shi first…”
“Director Shi is in that condition, you were just trying to help him.” Jin Youliang said, comforting him. “We’re the assistant directors, it’s our responsibility to take charge when the head director is absent, otherwise, what’s the difference between us and ordinary staff members? Director Shi is leading us on this variety show, will he be leading us on every project in the future? We have to learn to handle problems on our own, right? It’s fine, Director Shi said you have me to help you, we made this decision together.”
“Director Shi didn’t really blame me, he just felt that I should have been more careful with the bathroom incident last time, that we shouldn’t film in the air-raid shelter.” Zeng Huanian said, looking at Jin Youliang on the screen gratefully. “How can I let you share the blame? It was my segment that had a problem, and it was my decision to use the abandoned air-raid shelter, it has nothing to do with you.”
Honestly, in the workplace, people in the same position, even if they weren’t openly competing, there was still a sense of rivalry.
Although Zeng Huanian could sense that Shi Dingshan seemed to trust him more and was somewhat dissatisfied with Jin Youliang, when it came to work abilities, Shi Dingshan still acknowledged Jin Youliang’s ideas. Zeng Huanian, how should he put it, he had an average impression of this assistant director he was collaborating with for the first time, they even had some disagreements about filming before. But now, adversity revealed true character… If it weren’t for Jin Youliang helping him with the arrangements and design this morning, they wouldn’t have been able to set up the abandoned air-raid shelter and the game within an hour. And now, Jin Youliang was even willing to stay on the video call with him, overseeing this new project they created together.
He would repay kindness with even greater kindness.
Zeng Huanian wouldn’t be so malicious as to drag Jin Youliang down and share Shi Dingshan’s dissatisfaction with him!
Some people were ambitious, puffing out their chests, ready to take responsibility.
And some people…
“Let’s be discharged.” Shi Dingshan said, hanging up the phone, his brow furrowed so tightly that his forehead hurt.
“If you’re worried, I’ll go back and oversee things for you.” Qin Sichao said, pushing Shi Dingshan, who was about to sit up, back onto the bed. “Just lie down, have you even recovered from this morning? Stay here and be good.”
“I was fine, didn’t I explain it to you? It was just that she suddenly came over, I was so angry that I had a panic attack.” Shi Dingshan said, pushing Qin Sichao’s hand away and sitting up. “Then the doctor came, hooked me up to machines, a group of people came to separate her from me, pushed me away, I didn’t want to see her, so I just went along with it and had another checkup. Xiao Wang, he always overreacts, either being dragged away or rushing to the emergency room…”
Qin Sichao glanced at the closed ward door, annoyed. “Then just stay here, if you go out, she’ll just cling to you even more.”
“No, Xiao Zeng…” Shi Dingshan said, tapping his phone, displeased. “He keeps saying it was his own decision, something feels off. And didn’t you say Xiao Peng asked Jin Youliang if he wanted the same breakfast as yesterday this morning, and he refused? He was so eager to impress you yesterday, spending so much effort, and today he’s suddenly cold, it’s indeed strange.”
“Mmm, Xiao Peng said those things were quite difficult to find, Jin Youliang sent her the message early yesterday morning. At that time, your… ahem, news hadn’t broken yet.” Qin Sichao said, rubbing his forehead. “What kind of assistant directors did you even find? One is so honest and loyal, like he’s waiting to be sold and help count the money, the other is more scheming than a lotus root. I’ve had people investigate those marketing accounts, but it seems they were paid a lot, there are no results yet. Is your Jin Youliang that rich?”
“It’s not just him.” Shi Dingshan said, looking at the ward door with mixed emotions. “That woman, her secrets are still in my hands, how dare she come and talk about getting back together? If it weren’t for that little one I also raised for a few years, I would have sent her to jail in a heartbeat. She was still avoiding my lawyer a few days ago, and today she dares to come here, it doesn’t seem like something she would do.” Shi Dingshan was truly confused, but thinking about all the things that woman had done behind his back, maybe he didn’t know her that well, but her frantic behavior today… There were indeed many suspicious points.
Shi Dingshan couldn’t help but feel that he had fallen into some strange trap… He unconsciously thought of the little chubby paw that opened his gourd pendant. If it weren’t for that paw opening his eyes, he would now…
Shi Dingshan didn’t dare to continue that thought, he got out of bed resolutely. “Whether someone is scheming or not, no matter their intentions, it’s always right to go back.”
Whether it was an accident or intentional, even if he couldn’t figure out the reason or find evidence for now, but… the way to fight against misfortune was to never surrender, to go in the opposite direction of what it wanted.
Just a family scandal, just some entanglement, he wouldn’t be defeated!
Qin Sichao couldn’t understand Shi Dingshan’s sudden fighting spirit, but no matter what, if he wanted to be discharged, he had to start by finding a doctor.
In the end, Shi Dingshan had to temporarily give in to Qin Sichao’s insistence and obediently sat back in bed, waiting for the doctor. After all, he still needed Qin Sichao to deal with the person at the door.
But Shi Dingshan didn’t waste any time, he checked the live broadcast, then started tapping on his phone.
Jin Youliang, who was staring at the monitoring wall, suddenly sensed something was wrong.
“Director Zeng, can you see? Are Cameras 4 and 6 showing staff members wandering around?” Jin Youliang asked, frowning, looking at Zeng Huanian on the video call.
“Yes, I see them. Wait, I’ll ask.” Zeng Huanian said, leaving the camera’s view.
Jin Youliang listened to the rustling sounds and distant voices from the other end, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease.
But he didn’t have time to worry about those disobedient staff members, because… Cheng Tingyan and the others, they moved.
After using six buttons and nine hair ties… they finally moved.
Jin Youliang was truly speechless…
The buttons were one thing, but they even used hair ties, how could their little brains be so clever!
He should have limited the clues to only be exchangeable for water balloons! It was all Zeng Huanian’s fault, saying they should leave some room for creativity. Was this creativity? This was wasting time! They might as well have asked them to pull out their hair, three strands of hair in exchange for a clue!
What was the point of asking so many questions, what did the other treasure chests have to do with them! And that Wei Maomao… she even wasted time, in the semi-darkness, retying Cheng Tingyan’s hair into a bun that didn’t require so many hair ties. He was almost angered to death!
What were they even doing! The limited-time bunny plush treasure chest had long expired!
Thankfully, he had prepared more than one, just in case.
But even the limited-time ones weren’t found, then the unlimited ones…
Jin Youliang, looking at the two on the monitoring screen, still moving as slow as snails even after getting the clue, slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair in frustration, he wished he could reach into the screen and push them!
Five clues.
Except for one airplane model treasure chest, which required them to backtrack, the other four… the limited-time bunny plush treasure chest, the sea salt nut toffee treasure chest, the ammo refill treasure chest, and the lighting equipment treasure chest… all four were in the direction Cheng Tingyan was originally heading.
If they didn’t consider the “accident” in her previous life, leaving clues to the treasure chests they liked near the little babies’ starting points was quite normal. But considering that “accident,” it was… quite interesting.
It was also a treasure hunt in her previous life, answering questions in exchange for clues. At that time, the six-year-old her didn’t understand these clever tricks, she happily ran in the direction indicated after answering one question correctly.
At that time, it wasn’t a limited-time bunny plush treasure chest.
It was… gold coins.
Truly, they were always manipulating her preferences.
Cheng Tingyan looked at the darkening path ahead.
Many things from her childhood in her previous life had already faded from her memory, but the childish thought of gold coins being exchangeable for money, money being able to cure her mom, and then her energetic rush into the darkness, it was still very clear now that she thought about it.
She was truly… very childish.
“Yan Yan?”
A soft, childish voice pulled Cheng Tingyan out of her sinking thoughts.
“Mmm?” Cheng Tingyan asked, squeezing the little chubby paw in her hand. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Wei Maomao shook her head. Was she mistaken? Just now, Yan Yan seemed…
“Maomao, it’s very dark ahead, can you wait for me here?” Cheng Tingyan asked, stopping at the boundary between the last bit of light and the darkness, she turned to look at a shadow quickly clinging to the wall, camouflaging like a gecko. “You and Sister Mingming wait for me here, I’ll go get the treasure chest.”
“Who?” Wei Maomao asked, turning to look in the direction Cheng Tingyan was looking.
In the shadows, a figure was trembling, trembling, then squatted down.
“Sister Mingming.” Cheng Tingyan said, exposing her ruthlessly. “Stand up, the floor is dirty.”
Liu Ming: “… “
“Sister Mingming, aren’t you outside?” Wei Maomao asked, confused.
Liu Ming, Su Li, and the cameramen were all supposed to be outside the air-raid shelter.
“I… work… work… You guys continue, pretend I’m not here.” Liu Ming whispered, explaining.
What else could she say? She couldn’t say that Director Zeng didn’t assign her a role as an NPC or staff member inside, so she could only stay outside. Then Director Shi gave the order that the staff members assigned to protect the babies should prioritize their safety, regardless of the task, so she could finally come in…
Liu Ming thought she was quick and agile, she didn’t expect to be exposed so quickly.
Wei Maomao was only slightly surprised, then she dismissed it. After all, Liu Ming was a staff member, staff members were everywhere.
But…
“I won’t stay here, we agreed to stay together!” Wei Maomao said, gripping Cheng Tingyan’s slightly cold hand tightly.
What was wrong with Yan Yan today… She kept feeling like she couldn’t hold onto her, like she was about to drift away.
Cheng Tingyan tried to loosen her grip, okay… Her hand was free, but the warm little paw was clinging to her hand like a small clamp.
Mmm, this was the downside of making promises.
Small, steady, even steps, the two little ones, close together, stepped into the dark tunnel.
Liu Ming, putting on the night vision goggles she had just snatched, followed them.
The tunnel wasn’t long, Cheng Tingyan soon saw the treasure chest in the distance. At the end of the tunnel, a glow-in-the-dark treasure chest, emitting a green light in the darkness.
Look, what a thoughtful design. Almost level with the ground, such a large and bright treasure chest, who would have thought there was an inconspicuous slope in between, the treasure chest was placed on a high platform in the distance, creating this visual illusion, making people think it was a flat path.
Reborn, with a twenty-four-year-old’s mind, without the anxiety of needing money, Cheng Tingyan saw through this simple setup instantly.
So…
The difference in their three-year-old legs, with just a slightly wider stride each time, the two, who were walking side by side, became staggered.
Wei Maomao, sensing something was wrong, her short legs trying to catch up, suddenly felt something against her belly, her feet stopped…
“Yan…” Wei Maomao said, startled, grabbing the hand on her belly, they froze in a strange position, their hands clasped together.
But before Wei Maomao could even ask anything, Cheng Tingyan suddenly squatted down, her hand retracting.
“Maomao, don’t move!” Cheng Tingyan said, one hand against the chubby bunny’s belly, the other tightly gripping something her ankle had just touched.
In that instant, the tension in that thing loosened, turning into a pulling force, Cheng Tingyan also twisted her wrist, wrapping it around her hand.
“There’s a rope on the ground, is it a trap from the program team? But ahead… it’s a slope, are they trying to make us roll down?” Cheng Tingyan said clearly, ignoring the pain in her hand from the tightening rope, she followed the direction of the pulling force and easily saw the person hiding behind a wooden box.
Their eyes met, Cheng Tingyan felt the force on the rope weaken.
Trying to run?
Thanks to Wang Zhizhi’s wish, several streams of light green water shot through the darkness, hitting their target after two lifetimes.
Ha, caught you.
Leave a Reply